Junior Suckered Me

Take out your #2 pencil, kiddies.  Ken Griffey's home run on Opening Day was:

1.  Against one of the AL's nastiest, highest-K lefthanders

2.  With two strikes on him

3.  On Liriano's best pitch, a slider

4.  At least 50 feet over the fence on level ground

5.  Something on which the odds-against were at least 100:1

6.  Something Griffey does every Opening Day

7.  An MLB record for most Opening Day homers (all with Seattle, none with Cincy)

8.  Something that shouldn't have occurred (you should never start Griffey in RF or vs a LHP)

9.  One of the three most important moments in the game (F-Gut's HR, Felix' DP next inning)

10.  All of the above

11.  None of the above

12.  All of the above except #8

Reggie "Mr. October" Jackson had a 1200 OPS in twenty-seven World Series games.  In 1977, he hit 5 home runs in the last three games of the Series, including three in one game to win the championship.  IIRC, he hit all three on the first pitch (check me on that).

After he'd hit two, going up to bat for the third, Billy Martin (IIRC) later wrote, "His concentration was so intense I'd have been surprised if he HADN'T hit a home run in that last at-bat."  Reggie was walking around the dugout as though hypnotized, he was so locked in.

.......................

There is such a thing as great athletes "reaching back" for the extra level of concentration.  You saw an example as Griffey homered off Liriano.

Another thing I liked about it:  Griffey was running out of the box as he hit it.  Junior used to do that in 1989-1991, hit a home run and run out of the box because he wasn't quite sure it was leaving the park.  When Junior isn't overconfident, he really bears down.

There was always the 25% chance that the change of scenery was going to produce a special year for Griffey:  MANY, perhaps MOST, of the Mayses and Aarons and Robbies and Bondses were All-Stars at age 39.  Yesterday didn't do anything to rule that chance out.

..........................

It's fun, by the way, to see Griffey relax on balls outside the strike zone -- relax as they're halfway to home plate.  Griffey is now every inch as good as Edgar was on pitch recognition.   If he'd been that selective in the 1990's, he'd have wound up with 100 more home runs... well, you know what I mean.

Griffey's 4-pitch walk was against one of the AL's better LOOGY's.  Good thing, because this lineup has 7 starters who will never walk.  Yesterday the M's were leading 4-1 but had like 5 baserunners going into the late innings.  Griffey's walks are going to be like water to thirsty M's fans.

..........................

Griffey suckered me in spring training.  :- )  Ichiro had a lousy first ST for the M's:  he was just getting ready the whole March.   He had everybody worried, Lou and everybody, but he was just suckering them.

Griff's bat isn't slow at all; that's my bad.  It's quick to the ball and he's still easily in the "tape-measure power" category.

I'm psyched.

Cheers,

Dr D

Comments

2
glmuskie's picture

Doc,
W/R/T Tape measure power category...
I mentioned over at MC how Niehaus was saying what a show Griffey put on in BP. Shannon Drayer said he was launching balls to places in the MetroDome she had *never* seen anyone hit. And, that Russell Branyan along with everyone else) was watching this display, just shaking his head. She said Branyan was hitting bombs in BP as well, but they 'weren't even coming close' to where Griffey was putting 'em.
The power is THERE. The fact that he was covering Liriano's stuff with ease tells you the eye & reflexes are still there.
There's a chance this could be a reaaaally good year for Junior.

3

I think age-related decline is often a proxy for injury. That Griffey can play when healthy doesn't surprise me. That he is healthy IS a pleasant surprise. That he remains healthy for the majority of the year would be truly unexpected. By healthy, I don't mean able to gimp around on a sore knee or bad hamstring. I think that is what he has been doing a lot lately.

5
Dr D's picture

And, after two games:
WALKS
3 - Griffey Jr
2 - Rest of Mariner team

7
Sandy - Raleigh's picture

My only concern is overworking Junior to the point of aggravating injuries or not allowing time to heal.
I think 450 ABs of a healthy Griffey could be stupendous.
I think 200 ABs of a healthy Griffey, 200 ABs of a gimpy Griffey, and 200 ABs of a hurt Griffey could be about as much fun as a root canal, (the only upside is the occasional points where the nitrous oxide kicks in).

9
glmuskie's picture

LOL!
The walks total tells a heckuva story. It's nice to have a positive OBP role model in the lineup.
The Twins have been pitching Junior Prince style - like it's 1999.

10

Gutierrez hasn't drawn a walk but to be fair to Gutz...he hascontinued to see 4+ pitches/PA...so the walks will come eventually if he starts to get some respect for his hitting ability.

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